(Left) Veterans of The Battle of Kohima with the Duke of York, Prince Andrew at the 75th anniversary of the Battles commemorated on July 4 in York. 2. (Right) The Duke of York, Prince Andrew being presented with gifts from Kohima by Dr Ngully during event commemorating the 75th anniversary of The Battle of Kohima on July 4 in York. (Photo Courtesy: Kohima Educational Trust @KohimaEdTrust/Twitter)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 4
The 75th anniversary of the Battle of Kohima was commemorated on July 4 at York Minster with the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, family members and descendants of veterans of the battle as well as guests from Nagaland in attendance.
The event held at Dean’s Garden of York Minster, the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, was organised by the Kohima Educational Trust (KET), founded in 2003 by British veterans of the Battle of Kohima in 1944, to honour of the veteran.
The trust updates of the event on its official Twitter account informed that a huge congregation with veterans and their families as well as other guests gathering for the memorial service.
The Duke of York was also is presented with gifts from Kohima by Dr Ngully, another update informed.
A report of the event on the York’s local daily website, The Press informed that seven veterans of the Battle of Kohima and the Burma Campaign, widely regarded as the turning point of the land war in South East Asia (1941-1945), laid the wreaths the service. The Dean of York, The Right Reverend Dr Jonathan Frost, presided, and The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, addressed the event.
The Archbishop, the report said, spoke the words of an epitaph carved on a memorial at the War Cemetery in Kohima and which has become world-famous over the years as the Kohima Epitaph, "When you go home, tell them of us and say, For your tomorrow, we gave our today.”
Earlier, the Chief Minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio and Chief Secretary, Temjen Toy in a letter addressed to KET, had expressed solidarity with British on behalf of the Naga people as they commemorate the event.
The Battles of Imphal and Kohima in 1944 marked a turning point in the conflict war in Asia where the Japanese suffered their first defeat.
According to information on KET’s website, “In 1944, the garrison in a hill town in north-east India, was besieged by a Japanese Division.”
“The 1500 defenders withstood the attack for two weeks until they were relieved by the 2nd British Division. The ensuing battle lasted two months and drove the Japanese into retreat,” it said.
“The ensuing battle, fought at close quarters for two months, was the first defeat of the Japanese by the British army, and a turning point in the war in Asia,” it added.
